Edith asked Joseph Finder:

I find it challenging to decide how to research a topic I want to use in a piece of fiction I am writing, whether short fiction or novel. That is, determining what resources to access. What steps do you take when planning how to research a topic you want to use? (In the interest of full disclosure, you should know I am extremely averse to flying. However, I will do it if absolutely necessary.)

Joseph Finder Thanks for the question, Edith! I’m something of a research junkie — I love digging into the worlds my characters inhabit, and can lose myself for hours or days down the research rabbit hole.

So my advice might surprise you: do the absolute minimum research necessary in order to get your story started. Research, as fun and valuable as it is, can become a paralyzing distraction if you think you need it in order to write your story. You don’t need it. You should have a pretty good idea of who your characters are, what they want, and what happens to them before you do major research. Once you know those things, you’ll be able to direct your research much more efficiently: how would this character do x? What has to happen in order to put these characters there?

Make a list of the things you need to know for your story, and go online. You won’t find everything on the internet, but you’d be amazed at how much is out there (including how-to videos on YouTube). If you’re not sure how best to look for that information online, librarians can be extremely helpful, and can point you to books and periodicals that fill in missing information. If you still can’t find the information you need, look for the names and contact information of experts in the field — corporate PR departments, university professors, scientists. Most of those people make their email addresses available online, and most people will be willing to answer a few questions via phone or email.

I love to visit sources and locations in person, but in almost every case, that’s a bonus. The characters and their motivations come from my brain, with no plane ticket required. Good luck!

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